Zoë's Knitting Bag

Prom Bracelet

I found a lovely pattern on Ravelry for a beaded bracelet for Sophie's Prom by Heather Murphy.  On our way to the ballet yesterday, I stopped in a fantastic embroidery/cross stitch shop in Norwich and bought some DMC 8 cotton thread and of course I couldn't resist the seed beads.  Sophie wanted Emerald beads and gold thread and I plan to make myself a bracelet later in Duck Egg blue with burnished gold beads.  This pattern is very easy to knit. As the smallest needles I own are 1.5 mm and I can't wait for an internet delivery (there's no chance of getting any 1.25 mm in Norfolk) I started to knit the little bracelet this afternoon.  I am pleased with my efforts so far.  Sophie also plans to wear a Roman snake bracelet and an upper arm Roman style bracelet.  The dress is still a closely guarded secret but the hair style will be Roman style and the makeup will be gold and aqua eye shadow (is anyone still reading)? LOL.  These Proms are serious business and the amount of planning involved is incredible.  Some girls are having spray on tans just for the Prom!

A Midsummer Night's Dream by The Northern Ballet was yesterday's trip to the theatre.  I booked these tickets in January and forgot that we had front row seats although I believe that ballet devotees do not rate the front row as you cannot supposedly see the dancers feet.  Well that's one advantage of being tall.  I had a perfect view of their feet. 

The dancers were all on stage limbering up before the show started and the ballet was set in the Forties with the dance company on a train journey to Edinburgh.  As the train entered the tunnel, we were spectators of the dancers' dreams and the Shakespeare play unfolded.  The costumes, sets, props and dancers were brilliant and I loved it all.  Oh, we could also see the musicians in the orchestra pit - it was such a delight.

Ballet

We're going to the matinee performance of this and we have been looking forward to it for some time but it looks like it's going to be one of the warmest Saturdays for ages and we will be inside!  I'll leave you with a photo of the clematis on the garage wall (sorry Kate of MA - it's not Nelly Moser but I think it's Clematis Jackmanii.)

I hope you've all got your swap partner e mails - any problems - please leave a comment - I will check tonight and over this long Bank Holiday weekend.  Hope the sun shines for us all. x

Thanks and Swap News

UPDATE - SWAP PARTNER DETAILS ARE NOW BEING SENT.  THANKS GEMMA FOR STEPPING IN AS A SWAP ANGEL.  HOPE WE ALL HAVE FUN.  DEADLINE FOR SENDING PARCELS IS 31 MAY 2008.

At last I feel well again.  Thanks for your kind wishes.  Hopefully I will get all the swap partner details sent in the next few evenings.  The matches are done and mostly I was able to stick to your requests but not in all cases.  I hope you enjoy the swap.  One last request for a "Swap Angel" to step in.  We have an odd number and so I have no swap partner.  If anyone fancies swapping with me I will be happy to accept the first comment here - if not I will have to think again.

SICK

So sorry everyone, but since the early hours I have been sick with a bad tummy bug and typing this from bed.   DH has had it since Wednesday night and we think we picked it up from the residential home where MIL lives.  They have it so bad that visitors have been banned until next Wednesday at least.  I will get the swap partner details sent as soon as I feel better.  Really sorry to let you all down.  I will extend the date that the parcel has to be sent by.

Reminder

Just a gentle reminder that the return date for swap replies is midnight tonight.  Thanks.

Promise

The weather is finally changing and the garden is full of promise of the beauty yet to unfold.  The cherry blossom is only just emerging and the clematis is overflowing with buds.

The swap replies are being returned very promptly which will give me a better chance of getting them all together this weekend and sending out your swap partner details.  Please be assured that, once the swap is complete, I will shred all your contact details (except email as it will be nice to keep in touch from time to time) and delete the word documents from my laptop. I'm a bit obsessed with shredding!!!! Our paper shreddings are put to good use as they go straight into the composter and so far it has yielded marvellous results. 

It looks like we are all of a similar age, with lots of us in our late 40s but the age range so far spans from 19 to early 50s.  However, in my opinion, age is irrelevant as we are ALL young at heart and obviously all love reading and crafting.

SWAP NEWS

Phew - just sent out the questions and details for the Words and Bookmark Swap.  I hope you have all received my email, if not please let me know.  I did get one email "bouncing back" due to a full mailbox.  Could Jackie please contact me so I can re-send?  Thanks.

 

I will add names to my sidebar as joiners to the swap once I receive your completed forms.

April Showers (written yesterday, photos taken today finally outside)

STOP PRESS - SIGN UPS FINISHED FOR SWAP - THANKS THERE ARE 22 OF US NOW.

Not just rain showers but also lovely sunshine and then there's the hail, frosty mornings and as I speak it's thundering and lightning.  The weather is so changeable and there has been little chance to pop outside and take some photos of my knitting.  So I'm afraid the colours may not be quite true but here are a few photos of my many WIPS.  Please move your mouse to read the caption and there will be more over on Flickr.

Thank you for all your good wishes about my tooth extraction, the gum is healing nicely and I'm not sure if it's an after effect or not but I have a heavy cold and haven't sneezed so much in ages.  Pepper has finally gone in for her new bumper this morning so I hope to have her back and like new this week - perhaps I am being optimistic!!!! I have been given a Peugeot 307 HDI to drive which is very nice but, sorry if I offend anyone, it's just not the same.

With me to add to the list there are 19 people signed up for the Words and Bookmark Swap.  Please note that sign up closing date will be this Friday 18 April 2008 and numbers are still limited to 30 maximum, so if you are interested please leave me a comment.  I will get the questions out Saturday morning with all the finer details and dates etc.  Once you return them, the matching can commence.   

Words and Bookmark Swap

STOP PRESS - Please feel free to snatch the swap button (in the right sidebar) and link this to your blog.  Thanks Dave of The Cabin Cove for the lovely design.

I'm FED UP with this weather! This morning we had sleet showers.  I think the nagging jaw pain which has now moved to my right ear is also getting me down and tomorrow I go back to work!  The antibiotics finished last night.  I need something to occupy my mind.  Anyone fancy a little swap?  I'm looking for about 30 swappers.  This time you will be swapping directly with your partner.  Please see further details below:

Your quest will be to swap a pre-1960s novel which has some reference to knitting (however small) within its pages.  The book has to be new or nearly new i.e. a nice, clean condition.  The reference to knitting is then to be marked with a handmade bookmark.  This can be  knitted or sewn - your choice.  Of course you can add the usual little treats of chocolate or knitting notions or even a skein/ball of yarn if you wish.  Sign ups complete as soon as numbers are reached.  International swappers welcome.  Please leave a comment if you wish to join.

Extraction

It's been such a long time since I posted.  However, it has been Easter school holiday here in England, so I have had this past week on leave from work.  The weather has been kind to us, being mostly warm and sunny but I did not venture far.  Time has been spent catching up, tidying both inside and outside.  The garden is beginning to look good with many plants about to open their buds. I visited the fabulous Read's Nursery and came away with an outdoors grape vine and a Key Lime plant.  Even if I'm not lucky with the fruit on the grape, then I hope to use the leaves for dolmades.

On Tuesday it rained so it was a good time to take a trip to the recently refurbished Cinema City to watch The Orphanage.  A very friendly usherette showed us to our seats by torchlight (I  love the old fashioned touch) and what splendid seats they were; a plush chenille.  This Spanish film, with English subtitles, is intelligent, excellent, scary, a beautiful old house and good story line - well worth a viewing.

I've been feeling a little sorry for myself as on Wednesday I had my first tooth extraction.  I was pretty nervous about the whole thing as the last time I had this sort of thing done was many years ago at the age of 20 when 3 impacted wisdom teeth were removed under general anaesthetic in hospital.  My face swelled up like a hamster and I was off work for 2 weeks.  Not being able to clean my teeth for days was not pleasant.  Before this, as a child I had lots of baby teeth removed as my second teeth were coming through and the milk teeth were causing spacing problems.  In those days we were "gassed" in the dentist's chair whilst the procedure took place. So maybe you can see why I was slightly apprehensive.  My poor old back tooth had been heavily filled from my neglectful teen years (plus too many hard boiled sweets as a child) and more recently root filled.  The dentist (who is excellent, I hasten to add) had originally thought that it could be crowned (my first) but the tooth had other ideas and was sinking into my gum.  After 3 injections and a wait of 30 minutes, I was back in the chair.  Great, I could not feel a thing, but oh what was that?  There was a loud cracking noise which rang in my ears and part of the tooth came away, then the first root and a further 45 minutes later and the second filled root was removed.  Phew.  I am now taking antibiotics, Nurofen and 10 salt rinses daily.   The pain is subsiding and the initial sadness of losing a tooth is going.  It made me feel sooooooo old.  It really was the best and only choice I had and hopefully I will wake up with a fresher mouth and not be permanently poking around the old tooth with my tongue all day.  Sorry, if this does not paint a pretty picture. 

I have been knitting and will post some photos next time.